Sore jaw hard to open mouth
Common Questions and Answers about Sore jaw hard to open mouth
sore
I have had three rounds of injections in the mandibular joint. I have a stiff jaw, hard to open wide enough to eat, sore but no visible swelling. Back in the 80's I was a chairside assistant and seem to remember something about gently chewing gum to exercise th e joint and get it to loosen. Is this still ok? How long can I expect it to take for my jaw to loosen up enough to eat with out difficulty?
About 10 days ago I had a root canal done on my left lower last molar. My dentists have always commented that I have a very small mouth. She used a prop device placed on the right side but for much of the procedure asked me to open wider since she had to get way into the back. The root canal procedure went well but since then I have had alot of pain in my jaw joint (actually on the upper jaw) and difficulty opening my mouth very wide.
It feels sore in my left side of the mouth, it hurts when I try to open it, when I chew... and even when I put my tongue out.
I remember before this happened, like a month or two, I had a cold, and I kinda had a hard time hearing, the inside of the ear would hurt and it felt itchy. And from time to time I would get like a sharp pain between my jaw and throat. Right in the line that the two meet... it still kinda sore if I poke it.
Hi,
It can happen. First, from having to have your mouth open for the extraction time, and second because of the surgical trauma.
I had three out at one time and couldn't open my mouth for a month.
You can try warm compresses on the angle of your jaw, and I hear chewing gum may help.
The muscle should start to relax soon.
Good Luck. Let us know how your are and others may come on with some other ideas for you.
after a routine dental visit my jaw was just sore from the shot that I got in my lower and 5 weeks later I cant open my jaw/mouth more a quarter of an inch without horrific pain.it seems to be getting worse I have gone to the dentist and the doctor it is not TMJ and I am on naproxin and pain killers which dont even help. Nobody seems to know what is wrong does anybody have any answers.
Mine use to hurt at the beginning of my pregnancy . It was horrible if I ate or open my mouth to wide it would hurt idk why but it doesn't any more .
One tooth in particular was a little further back and I have a small mouth, so I really had to open my mouth wide. I could feel my jaw cramping up while she was working on my teeth. All in all, my mouth was probably open for a half hour or so.
After the numbness wore off, I noticed that I was having a radiating pain in my jaw. I assumed it was just from having the dental work done.
I tried some of the exercises online for TMJ or TJM whatever you call it lol and it helped a little but now my jaw feels kind of heavy.
One tooth in particular was a little further back and I have a small mouth, so I really had to open my mouth wide. I could feel my jaw cramping up while she was working on my teeth. All in all, my mouth was probably open for a half hour or so.
After the numbness wore off, I noticed that I was having a radiating pain in my jaw. I assumed it was just from having the dental work done.
Also for the outside, find your cheek bones and put your four fingers lightly below them and slowly open your mouth to what is comfortable, and feel the muscle that moves, and move your fingers to be on top of that muscle and push as you open your mouth, gently of course.
Other simple but effective exercises are stretching your neck side to side front to back, and everywhere in between, especially on the tighter side. Using heat helps to loosen it up for stretches too.
It can put a terrible strain on the muscles down the sides of your neck. Same with jaw pain. Holding your mouth open can be stressful.
Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (1/4 tsp per 8oz warm water). That will help with any pain that might be in your gums from the cleaning and warm compresses on your jaw and neck will help with the muscle strain.
The red spots on your tongue can be caused by dry mouth.
i may see an ent if sore throat does not go away soon
i do get the earaches and aching pain in the face also though
To massage the masseter muscles on each side of your jaw, place your thumb inside your mouth and squeeze the thick muscle in your cheek with your fingers. To massage the jaw muscles inside your mouth, use your index finger to probe and massage these spots.
Moist heat or cold packs on the face, vitamin supplements, or biofeedback are useful for some people. Usually people find a method that brings relief by trial and error. Consult an ENT specialist.
I did not experience vertigo with my TMJ, only a sharp pain that occured around my ear and jaw joint. The specialist I saw cautioned me to not open my mouth too wide. He used a banana as an example of the widest you should open your mouth. I do know that it can be caused by arthritis. One thing that really helped the TMJ was a mouth splint which keeps the mouth in the proper position.
I am more inclined to think that the trismus is related to the injection. I suggest you try to force open your mouth a little at a time each day. You might try using tongue blades between your teeth and increasing the number each day. If this does not work then you might have to go to an oral surgeon and under sedation have your jaw opened to break any adhesions that are present.
I have found magnesium helps with my TMJ. I used to be able to crack my jaw so loud you could hear it at the other end of the house! lol With magnesium....you need to be very close to hear it now. Anyway, I was magnesium deficient and had a lot of symptoms including light sensitivity and anxiety.
You might want to give magnesium a try. Especially if you suffer from stress and anxiety! Avoid magnesium oxide. 4% absorption. I tried it.. meh pretty useless. I like magnesium citrate.
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